Best approach for plotting route for 4500 motorcycle trip?

Hi all I could really use a pointer in the right direction.  I have a big trip from Seattle to Atlanta coming up.   I originally used a motorcycle specific service called Rever that shows all the cool rides you can follow.  I exported that to a GPX file and imported it into Basecamp as a new track.   I also tried creating a new route in basecamp and adding waypoints (less preferred).  Lastly I tried just putting the start, finish and then used shaping points to force it along the roads I wanted.  I did not create a trip as I dont know how many miles I will either want, or be able to do each day.  Here is my issue after uploading all those options to my Zumo XT:

  • I can't just follow the tracks I uploaded.  The Zumo wants to convert it to a trip.  When you start the trip, if you chose any place other than the starting point, it will completely recalculate the route losing all the fun roads I picked out.
  • Using the route with tons of waypoints, the trip gets broken up as i have too many waypoints.
  • Using the route with the shaping points I run into the same issue as with the tracks listed above.

So how do I create a specific route that the Zumo will always try and follow each morning when I start off from the hotel, and not have it recalculate unless I mistakening deviate from the roads I picked? Which is the right approach?

Thanks!

  • I'd split them into rough daily routes.  If you end up wanting to do more simply select the next one.  If less and you need to restart one in the morning and there isn't a suitable viapoint just convert one of the shaping points to a viapoint, so that you can choose that.

  • Per usual, SUSSAMB has good advice. I usually do at least one 3000-mile or so ride a year and here are a few thoughts that may be helpful.

    Create one route for each day. Smaller files load faster, recalc more quickly (if you want them to) and are less vulnerable to routing errors. Be smart and descriptive about naming files so you can quickly find them on your GPS. Don't call it "Day 1." Call  it "Seattle to Billings Motel."

    Make a custom POI file of each night's destination. That way no matter what happens to a route (or you change your mind or get lost), you can always route direct to the motel/campground.

    I let Basecamp draw the route, entering start and end points, then I go back and fix it to follow my preferred roads. Be sure to check any vias that you put in to "force" your desired routing. Accidentally putting one on the  wrong side of a divided highway, or too close to an on-ramp, can create  horrible spaghetti loops. Then I export it as a GPX file to my computer, then connect my zumo 660 and import it as a route, NOT a trip. I have had bad luck with Trips doing all sorts of things I didn't want. especially if I get off-route for whatever reason. I set the zumo to ask before recalculating and NOT to avoid U-turns. If you do get off route, this makes life easier because you can usually see how to get  back to the purple stripe without a messy recalc, and forbidding U-turns can add to the confusion.

    Finally, pre-flight test your routes on the GPS. Be sure the map in BC is the same one in your GPS and that your preferences are as similar as possible. Importing from something like Rever can help show you the general route, but map differences are likely to doom the conversion, so better to start fresh using your Rever map as a guide. Even so, things can get "lost in translation" from BC to your GPS and it's better to know now that it's going to call for an impossible turn on Day 3 and fix it with a forcing point (via). A good test is to tell it to recalc in your GPS and see if it wrecks the route. If so, you need more vias.

    I'm working on a 10-day 3000-miler to the NC mountains I hope to do in October, so these items are fresh in my mind. Happy to help if you want more detail.

    -dan

  • Danham did I great job spelling it all out. That's exactly what I do. Like he said zoom in on the route in BC and make sure you didn't place a via point on the wrong side of the highway as the view from 30,000 feet in BC can make it look like there's no issues. I also print out tank maps as a backup - they also make it easier to go over the route at coffee stops with your significant other or whoever!